Snow and wintry weather in northern Europe - in pictures

A man walks at the harbour in Cherbourg, France during heavy snowfall Photograph: Jean-Paul Barbier/AFP/Getty Images

A train makes its way through the snow towards the railway station in Hamburg, northern Germany, as winter weather returned Photograph: Sven Hoppe/AFP/Getty Images

Cars jam on a road in Heerlen, in the Netherlands, where heavy overnight snowfall led to traffic chaos Photograph: Marcel Van Hoorn/EPA

Spray from a fountain creates ice formations in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire Photograph: Stuart Atkins/Rex Features

A woman walks in a snowstorm in Caen, north-western France. Twenty-six regions in north-west and northern France were put on orange alert because of heavy snowfall Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

People ride Segways along a snow-covered Alexandre III bridge in Paris. People were advised to stay at home in the morning as heavy snowfall wrought havoc with transport Photograph: Christophe Karaba/EPA

A squirrel sits in the snow in a garden in Wiesbaden, central Germany Photograph: Fredrik Von Erichsen/AP

A snowplough follows a police car on the A25 highway in Godewaersvelde, northern France Photograph: Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images

Snow covers padlocks clipped to the railings of the Pont de l'Arcevêché bridge near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Photograph: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters

A car driver uses a shovel to remove snow from under his car stuck near Godewaersvelde Photograph: Phililppe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images

A man looks at the icicles at the Bow Lee Beck waterfall at Gibson's Cave in Teesdale Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

Commuters wait for trains in freezing conditions at Haywards Heath train station Photograph: John Angeli/PA

People walk in heavy snowfall at the Place de la Concorde in Paris Photograph: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

Brighton seafront covered in a blanket of snow Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Snow covers bicycles in Cherbourg Photograph: Jean-Paul Barbier/AFP/Getty Images

People make their way on a snow-covered road in Frankfurt, Germany Photograph: Arne Dedert/EPA